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Offline fogcityTopic starter
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« on: April 01, 2011, 10:04:30 am »
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I've been looking around for quite awhile and have pretty much convinced myself I'm going to purchase an AT Pro.

It's not hard to find positive reviews about it, and many users think it's great, but what I want to ask is this:  Aside from taking a while to get used to it's sounds and to learn to pinpoint with it, what other negatives have users found it to have?

I'm familiar with the falsing issue (which the factory has presumably resolved), and that some say the bottom connection needs to be tightened up so as not to "wobble", but I've not heard much else...

Any additional info or insight you could provide would be appreciated!!!

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« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2011, 03:42:43 am »
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Free bump!

Like you, I've been longing to own an AT Pro for ages. 15kHz in a machine that's not afraid of a splash or two is exactly what I need. Until the last week of March, some buyers were still reporting of defective units that had to be sent back for repairs. I've only used 2 Garrett machines in the past; they were of sturdy build and they WORKED. Living on the other side of the planet, it won't be cheap or convenient to send back a unit for repairs. I think it'll be more prudent to just wait a little bit longer.

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« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2011, 04:26:27 am »
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The sounds can be quickly learnt.  The AT is my first detector but I never bothered with the standard mode and used it straight off in Pro mode.  I think this is what taught me the sounds since I couldn't "cheat" and concentrated from the beginning in identifying the targets.

Major negative for me is the lack of a back light on the screen.  Daylight saving has just ended here and I was hunting in the dark tonight.  Although I identify the targets by sound I still like to reinforce my "gut feelings" by looking at the screen and seeing what the machine thinks.  Had to keep flicking the head lamp on and off which of course attracts attention.

Also thinking of getting an arm rest extension for the shaft as I have long arms and think that other users are correct when they say the arm rest is a bit short.

I have one of the ones with the "falsing problem" and also live on the other side of the planet. But apart from a scary time yesterday when the machine went a bit crazy on me (it came right and worked perfectly tonight), I don't think it is enough of an issue to send back under warranty. When it sounds off when the coil is bumped - I know I have bumped the coil and my mind just blanks it out.  If it sounds off erratically often again I might reconsider.

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« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2011, 08:37:57 am »
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Islandpaddler, some AT Pro owners have had problems which were more serious than just the occasional falsing episode. Out of curiosity, can you tell us what happened when your machine went a bit crazy?

You're right about the arm rest being a bit short. If and when I get an AT Pro, I'd probably have to get an extension too. You could buy a Garrett Gizmo off Ebay; I'll probably just get a friend who owns a machine shop to lathe one out for me.

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« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2011, 09:59:37 am »
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Not owning one but keeping a eye on them.

All bad I've heard is the Falsing too.

I'm thinking it's just user/Operator thing.





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« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2011, 10:57:26 am »
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Quote:Posted by homefire
Not owning one but keeping a eye on them.

All bad I've heard is the Falsing too.

I'm thinking it's just user/Operator thing.






Same here, its better than the GTI 2500 for prospecting Too

AU

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« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2011, 12:14:31 pm »
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Quote:Posted by Hobbyist
Out of curiosity, can you tell us what happened when your machine went a bit crazy?


Got to a beach and turned it on.  Sounded of constantly and randomly displayed different id's despite being held in the air away from any potential interference.  Rebooting and factory resetting didn't work. Returned home and changed batteries, the erratic behavour was still there.  Unplugging the coil stopped it.  In the end I left the batteries out and coil unplugged for a day - when I put it back together it was normal again. 

The AT sounding off when the coil is bumped or twirled in the air I class as "minor falsing".  I have no problem with it and to return it on warranty for repair is entirely up to the owner.  The behavour described above is "major falsing" in this case the unit is unusable.  A few owners have experienced this from the outset.

But the AT's being made now do not have this falsing problem - Garrett has solved it.  If worried about the issue just ask the retailer to send one of their newer stocked units.

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« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2011, 12:26:15 pm »
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Quote:Posted by Islandpaddler
Got to a beach and turned it on.  Sounded of constantly and randomly displayed different id's despite being held in the air away from any potential interference.  Rebooting and factory resetting didn't work. Returned home and changed batteries, the erratic behavour was still there.  Unplugging the coil stopped it.  In the end I left the batteries out and coil unplugged for a day - when I put it back together it was normal again. 

The AT sounding off when the coil is bumped or twirled in the air I class as "minor falsing".  I have no problem with it and to return it on warranty for repair is entirely up to the owner.  The behavour described above is "major falsing" in this case the unit is unusable.  A few owners have experienced this from the outset.

But the AT's being made now do not have this falsing problem - Garrett has solved it.  If worried about the issue just ask the retailer to send one of their newer stocked units.


Good report IP, It has also been posted that it is for freshwater use as it dose have problems with wet salt sand
as it was directed more towards the prospecting market, hope this helps.

Au

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« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2011, 12:31:14 pm »
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Quote:Posted by Islandpaddler
Got to a beach and turned it on.  Sounded of constantly and randomly displayed different id's despite being held in the air away from any potential interference.  Rebooting and factory resetting didn't work. Returned home and changed batteries, the erratic behavour was still there.  Unplugging the coil stopped it.  In the end I left the batteries out and coil unplugged for a day - when I put it back together it was normal again. 


Thanks Islandpaddler. The symptoms you described are the same as what some others have experienced, with the exception of those units not returning to normal. I'd say you were lucky and may your unit remain free of any more major falsings.

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« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2011, 12:58:16 pm »
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Quote:Posted by auminesweeper
It has also been posted that it is for freshwater use as it dose have problems with wet salt sand
as it was directed more towards the prospecting market, hope this helps.


That has not been my experience.  Most of my hunting has been on the beach and it ground balances out nicely in the salt water and wet sand.  It can by a bit chatty if set to max sensitivity, but turning the sensitivity down a few bars does not effect its depth.

Of course it probably isn't as good as a high priced water hunting machine, but for its price it works well in the salt.  The AT Pro is a multi-use machine.  Because of this it can do just about everything but obviously it has to have compromises and would not do things as well as a high priced dedicated machine.  So relic hunting, gold nuggets, saltwater beach jewelry, park coins etc - it does them all. BUT it is only a $595 priced machine so we can't expect it to outperform lets say an E-trac at the park or a Excalibur in the water. The difference is that it can do it all and truly is an All Terrain machine.

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